The Gem of the Dragon
by The Chrysanthemum
Summary: There was an ancient legend that whoever possess the Gem of the Dragon has the power to grant one wish from its true beholder. However, the Gem has not resurfaced for a thousand of years until now. AU


**A/N:** Hello my readers! This is my second project that I'm working on. After reading, scroll down to the bottom to read **Japanese History Lesson 101** for background info and there's also a key.

**Legend: **Talking, _Thinking_

Disclaimer: I Don't Own Bleach.

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**The Gem of the Dragon**

_By: The Chrysanthemum_

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**Arc I- Childhood Days**

**Chapter O N E- First Encounter**

_**M**y father always told me to never  
go beyond the red gate that separated  
me and the unknown world**.**_

_ -Hinamori Momo_

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The cloudless sky revealed the high, afternoon sun.

"Milady? Milady? Where are you? It's time for your weekly Calligraphy lesson with Byakuya-sama. You know that he hates waiting!" called out a female servant.

The female servant's call remained unanswered while she mumbled under her breath, "She's only 12 years old and she could hide like one of those damned shinobis."

Hinamori Momo covered her nose in attempt to stop her sneeze from disclosing her location which was behind the green bush just near the gate of the large, complex of her home. She's forced to cowered in a fetal position because she was getting tired all of her lectures. Everyday consisted of studying inside her confined room with a bunch of her tutors whom were nothing but uptight, old lechers that doesn't believe in educating the women . They only threw her an assignment, expecting her to fail. They looked down at her with their noses held high in a complete condescending manner that made her veins boil in anger.

However, when they were in the presence of her father, their attitude changed all of the sudden and they feigned a caring disposition for her mental wellness. It's funny, really, on how they grovel in front of him, unaware that she reports their behavior to him when he's gone, and she almost pitied them, almost. When she was a child, barely six years old, she didn't fully understand why others bowed down to him, showing him the utmost respect or the numerous servants she has at her disposal. One afternoon, letting her curiosity get the better of her, asked her father the queries that's been plaguing her mind.

"Father, why are those men always come to our house?" she asked him while sitting on his lap.

"Don't you like those men? They are my vassals." he replied, chuckling quietly under his breath.

"No, I don't like how they smell or how they look. They always carry those scary swords around."

"Well, it's because they served under your father. They are the one that protects, you and me from any of your father's enemies."

Hinamori lifted her eyes to meet her father's gaze but she could see the invisible fog that came over his eyes.

"Father is too kind to have enemies." she finally said, clinging to his side. "I don't know why people would hate my father."

"Hinamori." he sighed, patting the top of her head. "You are still too young to understand. Maybe, someday, you would see the cruelty this world nor the hardships that is holds but I pray to God that day will never come."

Up until now, she still didn't comprehend the meaning behind his words. Making sure that one of her personal maid disappeared, she darted at her secret escape hole that she found yesterday when she was exploring the layout of her house. It was behind of a tall Japanese yew which was a towering shrub native to southeast Asia and bore ruby, colored fruits that are poisonous to humans when consumed.

Hinamori winced in disgust when she glanced down to find dirt on the bottom fabric of her silky, blue furisode or a kimono with long sleeves enabling her to easily move around. It still fits after three years. She begged her father not to include an over-sized obi to her clothes but, instead, a much simpler one, not until she was at least 13th years old and yet, she didn't know why she wore her celestial dress.

But in hindsight, she didn't expected to actually pull of her escape route. If she wasn't careful, she could have been caught by now.

_Ah... This was a present from my father imported from China during her 9th year celebrations dyed from safflower._

Momo dusted the dust of her furisode and lifted it to her knees as she crawled under the soaring, wooden fence, and finally arriving at the other side. She brushed her long, braided hair that was tied in matching yellow ribbons from any leaves and any remaining soil that might have clung to the ends when she was on the ground.

_That'll teach them for refusing to give me a rest after my history lecture. Hmph.._

However, this was her first experience outside of the fence since her father forbid her from exploring the world beyond the safety of her house. She knew her father did everything to keep her pre-occupied from even contemplating why she wasn't allowed to go with her servants whenever they went to the market thus buried her with tutors ,and lessons. She also despised the men in the black attire that concealed their faces (shinobis) and she spent her free time dodging them. Over time, her hiding skills have improved, almost to the point that she could evade them for thirty minutes, until she became arrogant, affecting on how she cover her presence.

Later, it became a private game between them but she could never avert them for more than an hour at best. Indeed, father hired the best ninjas in all Japan. As if in an instinct, Hinamori looked behind her back, checking if one of them are trailing her. She sighed in relief when she found none but kept her guard up in full blast nonetheless. This was her chance! Her chance to finally scout the area beyond the fence since her father is away for business related trip to Kyoto.

Now, lets go see the 'markets' Yuki have told me about, she thought as she tied the fabric into a knot that was dragging on the ground.

Whenever one of her chamber maidens go out to buy necessary ingredients, she forcefully pried them of information about what they called a 'market.' They told her about mizu shobai or water trade near Osaka in the main island of Honshu which was famous for trading rice. They also told her about the illegal 'black market' that included merchants trading European goods to the Japanese people, and since foreign trade was banned, those goods were vitally rare. It was very rare for a common people to seek out those merchants who followed their own rules regarding the trade industry.

"Milady, it was amazing though it was only a glimpse. Remember the spices I told you about?" Yuki asked, one evening when Momo was sitting on a wooden table, swaying her legs underneath, watching her preparing dinner inside one of the servants' small abode.

"You mean pepper, cinnamon, cocoa, vanilla, and sweet potato.." The words seemed unnatural coming off from her tongue.

"Yes, those. If only I could taste them." Yuki sighed, twirling around in her brown, short-sleeved kimono with a wooden spoon on her hand.

"Do you want me to get you one? I could ask my fathe-"

"No, Milady!" Yuki interrupted, dropping the spoon in the process. "With all due respect, Milady, could you keep this a secret between us?"

Momo giggled. "I was only teasing, Yuki. I would not tell Father a thing."

Yuki had a natural, round face, tanned from harvesting rice for the fields every afternoon, with red apple-like cheeks. Even though her eyes were flat, a common trait from the people in Southeast Asia, Momo envied her crystal clear pupils and she could tell whether she was telling the truth or not. Her eyebrows were thin, almost invisible when held against the sun. Years of neglecting her hair, turned it from pure black to ash gray, giving her an older appearance despite her young age. However, her soft features reflected her hard-working character and that's one of the main reasons why Momo considered her as her treasured friend.

Since Hinamori's days were filled with lectures, she found time to create a bond of friendship between her chamber maidens as she often released her frustrations on them and in returned, they offered advises and stories about the 'New World' outside of Japan. It was like a stress relieving time for her due to her continuous studies and she noticed, lately, that they didn't get the proper education as she did. They often reminded her that she was receiving a far more advance learning than most of the men and women in all of Osaka such as tea ceremony, flower arranging, poetry, painting, calligraphy, and architecture. In all honesty, she could care less about the flower arranging.

"I know, I'll get Yuki one of those 'cocoa' or 'sweet potato' that she's been raving about," she said out loud.

And with that in mind, Hinamori began walking towards west towards the sea, near the water port. They said that most of the trading occurred there. She glanced briefly behind her while she was walking away from her home as she memorized her way back. She seldom played this on her mind over and over again during her free, lazy afternoon and she wasn't about to jeopardized it by getting lost.

As she traveled, getting farther and farther away from the bright, red gate of her house that stood among the others, she noticed people in dirty, stained kimonos started to gawked at her and when she glanced at them, they averted her eyes. When she came into a crowd in the middle of the road, they parted immediately when they saw her, with their heads down, and some of them bowed to her.

Peasants, she thought.

This was her first time seeing a 'peasant' or a commoner before outside of her confined resident because she saw them rarely inside her homestead. Whenever they came by, they came with offerings such as bundles of rice from the previous harvest or silk textiles on their arms.

_"They are paying their debt," said father._

She looked back for the third time, and all she could see was the faint red dot at the horizon. The excitement she felt a moment ago gradually grew when she could make out the sea on the horizon. The soft breeze carried the distant shouts of the merchants and the artisans in the effort to sell their products. Products such as: pans, kettles, vermillion ink pads, mills, rounded mirrors, and cups made of ceramic. Multiple food stalls were stationed near the shops, and Momo could smell the thick aroma of soba and udon. Fruit vendors were also at large numbers. Her nose cringed at the stench of raw seafoods from the west as she continued on.

_Means I am going to the right direction._

Street vendors crowded the side of the roads and Momo was tempted lose herself in the glorification of her freedom.

_No. I have to see those merchants!_

Elaborate paintings consisted of purple, plum blossoms, green bamboos, and red, cherry blossoms made by various Kano were displayed on some of the tea-shops, hanging on the windows as it swayed with the gentle breeze. Momo stopped at each paintings for few minutes to admire the complex strokes and brushes that made up the beautiful images.

The closer she got near the water port, she noticed a pair of men following her though it wasn't one of her ninjas. They were wearing a lesser known, traditional kimono made of cotton instead of silk. So, she deducted that they're one of those commoners but she could feel an odd aura emanating from them. It made the hairs on her forearms stand up and goosebumps started to form.

Hinamori began to form a plan to evade them but whenever she started to initiate it, the commoners whom she planned to lose the two men in the crowd, either bowed to her in what she guessed showing respect, or bent down their head, averting eye contact. It was frustrating, really. And she could feel her feet initially ached after what she concluded that she's been walking for thirty minutes now, and she's nowhere near the water trade.

Her eyes scanned the large array of people, spotting the same two men nearby crouching behind a small tea-shop.

_Should I just return home?_

Momo contemplated her two options: either return home empty-handed, and try it again tomorrow or risk herself of being caught, and possibly disappointing, and angering her father.

However, she would have enjoyed Yuki's priceless expression when she brought home a piece of a 'sweet potato' or a 'cocoa bean' from her little expedition, and she was always told that she had a stubborn streak in her that she inherited from her deceased mother. So, with that in mind, she continued her expedition, trudging forward to the west. While walking, her eyes absorbed the shop's products of different tea cups made of silver porcelain and jades displayed proudly along with various fabrics of silk, cotton and in-between. Absorbed in her sight-seeing, she failed to pay much consideration that she was drawing attention to a large group of people all around her, because, well- it was her first time actually being outside, alone.

So, she took the pleasure from her freedom knowing that it was short-lived. She also failed to avoid dangerous areas of Osaka like dark alleyways or pathways that only leads to dead-ends, and she was unaware that the two men had finally set their scheme in action. Hinamori, oblivious to her impending predicament, basked in the grandeur of her accumulated experience.

"So, that is a hokan." she said out loud as she watched a comedian wearing an ivory mask painted with a pair of crimson dots on his cheeks and holding two bright-yellow fans on both of his hands.

With it, the hokan entertained the gathering group of people with his dance and grace as he leaped gracefully of the ground in an effortless manner while motioning the two fans in slow, but deliberate circles in a hypnotic way. She noticed the hokan to be a young age, probably younger than her, due to his over-sized and bright, red kimono with no particular designs etched on his clothing. The longer she watched his dance from the distance, she observed the small, straw hat that bobbed on top of his head as he jumped off the ground, spinning lightly in the air, his body twisting with the exact timing as his fans. The straw hat was fasten tightly on his head, covering his hair, from falling down while he performed his whirlwinds.

"Wow..." Momo breathed in awe, while standing on top of a wooded pedestal stool.

She forced her eyes off the dancing hokan and hopped off the stool.

_Hmm.. Have they caught on already?_

She looked at her surroundings, scanning for her personal ninjas.

_I do not see them._

Then, she glimpse something shiny out of the corners of her eyes. Momo looked to the right and found a colorful, teacup sitting prettily in the shades of deep violet mixed with the light touches of maroon on the bottom. She did not find it strange that it was spread out on an empty stall near an ominous alleyway, away from a large group of people and the crowded apartments.

Not at all.

She thought basically of the opposite of that.

"Perfect! It is perfect for father to drink out of when I am presenting the tea-ceremony," she exclaimed, clapping her hands together in joy. "I better get it before others might buy it first."

Walking in a fast pace, Hinamori bolted for the empty stall, ignoring how her toes were beginning to hurt and the weather's humid atmosphere has an effect on the inside of her multi-layer kimono. If you were part of the peasants, you could easily distinguish her because of her vivid attire fit for a noble lady against a crowd of plain, brown clothing.

"Where is the merchant?" she asked herself when she finally appeared before the tiny stall.

"Hello there, Madam."

Momo whirled around to come face to face with a masked man, the cover only concealing the upper half of his face, and she could see his black pupils out of his eye holes. She wasn't fooled because she knew it was one of the men that was trailing her from moments ago based on their style of clothing. Therefore, she remained indignant. When his question went unanswered, the man tried again.

"Are you lost, Madam?" he asked, taking a step closer to her, and she could smell the foul odor of liquor on his breath.

She fought the urge to run or to step back because her back was already against the stall, trapping her. Hinamori deduced that the man was drunk and, since, this was her first encounter with a drunk man in her lifetime, she didn't particular know how she would do in this situation.

Should she treat him like a normal commoner?

All of the sudden, she opened her mouth and words tumbled out. "No, I am, in fact, exploring."

Behind the black mask, she felt him grinned and not in a good way. "Exploring? Why's a lady from the Fenikkusu Honou clan want to leave your cozy home and 'explore'?"

_How did he knew that I was from the Fenikkusu Honou clan?_

Tired of his never-ending queries, she snapped back. "Because I can. Now, leave me be."

"Oh?" his grin slowly grew wider, revealing a pair of sharp, yellow teeth, gleaming in the sun. "Are you alone, Milady?

The last part of his question slurred and she suppressed a very strong urge to shudder. What if she was really alone?

_Now's the good time for her ninjas to appear._

When she didn't replied back, the man took a giant step closer, so close that she could see the hairs emerging under his nose.

"So, you really are alone."

Hinamori almost gagged at the stench. Therefore, she did what she thought was proper for the situation. She imitated how her lecherous tutors always looked down with their noses held up high in a condescending manner.

In a loud, uptight voice she could manage, she responded, "This is impolite for you to be harassing a young lady. If you are not careful, I might call out my bodyguards. You see, they are particularly in a bad-tempered mood since this morning."

She could see that the man reeled in surprise at her reply, doubling back in bewilderment. This was her chance! Hinamori lifted up the bottom of her kimono because the knot has been untied, and in a calmed way despite her thunderous heartbeats against the drum of her ears, walked out of the remaining space the man has created, and out of the stall. Though, she was bit disappointed that she couldn't get her prized teacup.

"Wait a minute..." Momo felt her heart dropped to the bottom of her stomach. "Your lying aren't you cause' I don't see them."

She gulped. It was true and she gradually regretted from crawling out of her secret hole, and leaving the protection of her home.

"Madam, don't be like that. We, commoners, have feelings too." he said as his large, sweaty hand clasped her shoulder from behind and wheeled her around, making her almost lose her footing on the ground.

Abruptly, the nervous feelings vanished in a puff of smoke.

Why won't he leave me alone, she thought, her eyes twitching in annoyance.

"Your filthy hand is staining my kimono," she stated, putting as much venom in her tone while emphasizing 'filthy'.

Momo must have succeeded because she saw a quiver of hesitation in the tiny slit of his mask. All at once, another person's hand grabbed the drunk man's grasp on her.

"To be so kind, take your hand off from the young lady's shoulder," interjected a different person, twisting the lecher's hand away.

She turned to him and saw his appearance in a much clearer light. He had a subtle, transparent mustache, curling upwards at the end, and a deep, long scar etched on his wrinkled skin that trailed down from the side of his temple to the upper corner of his lips. It was a scar that can only be made by a precise stroke of a knife. He would have looked extremely frightening but his facial hair was almost comedic on his face, downgrading his image. Grudgingly, the masked man finally took his hand off her and let if fall to his side.

If Hinamori wasn't distracted by the other man's scar, she would have perceived the bizarre atmosphere between the two men, especially the lack of eye contact. Or she would have, at least, noticed the certain gleamed on their eyes.

"Are you alright, madam?" he smiled at her in a crooking way, disclosing rows of missing teeth.

"Yes, thank you," she replied, suppressing the urge to shudder involuntarily.

"Should I give you a tour around this district?" he asked, spreading his arms. " It's improper for a young madam to be traveling alone... unguarded."

His last word seemed odd to her, strange by his tone of voice. She could have listened more closely to her instinct, shouting vehemently at her to refuse his offer, but since she's so stubborn...

Within seconds, she agreed, pushing out the tiny voice out of her head.

_What could possibly go wrong?_

.

.

.

Yes, there's a lot of things that can go wrong. Poor Hinamori, if only she could have obeyed what her gut told her. Now, let's see how our heroine's stubbornness caused to placed her in a sticky situation.

Why didn't she thought this through! She totally forgot that cursed man's accomplice. Who would have thought that her first outing may be her last. An hour ago, Momo let the scarred face show her around the district though she became well-informed of the flow of the market, and failed to note the direction they were going. She admitted that his stream of words were very accurate on the details of the district, gaining a wider perception of the social hierarchy. Momo failed to pay attention to the flicker of his voice that hinted of animosity whenever he talked about the Daimyo of the land, which coincidentally was her father.

She berated herself, she was like a lost lamb walking into a wolf's lair oblivious of the danger she was placing herself into but mostly, she was placing the blame on her bodyguards. They're freaking shinobis and the time she needed them most, was the time they let her down. Or that her sleuth skills were just that good.

_Oh Momo! Now's not the time to praise yourself!_

She rebuked a string of curse words at Hosono (scarred face) inwardly and at herself for luring her into the more remote area of Osaka. And the fact that Hebe (drunk man) followed them and that he was part of the two men that was trailing her from the very beginning. Right now, they were away from the shopping district or from any people for that matter. She was cornered on a secluded region, her back facing a bundle of trees and the pathway out of there was block by Hosono, and Hebe. Therefore, with wide, opened eyes, stared at the blade at Hosono's hand that gleamed wickedly in the basking sun.

"You know what this is?" he said, taking pleasure of her horrified expression.

"This," he held the sharp steel in front of his face, "is a bolo knife."

"I bought this from a merchant, who was a refuge from the Philippines, for a cheap price." Hosono turned the knife over a few times.

Hinamori didn't know that to say or do at this point. Her main focus from escaping from the crazed man and prevent his blade from touching her. So, she remained silent while calculating her escape route. She became dejected when her only escape route was through the forest.

"Notice how sharp edge widens at the tip? This was originally used to cut down tall grasses that grew in the jungle in order to make pathways."

Hinamori gulped, finding the back of her throat extremely dry.

"Fit for a lady from that damned Fenikkusu Honou clan. It's a pity that you're not the heir." he took a closer step towards her as she took a step back putting as much space between him and herself.

"H-how do you know that I am not the heir," she croaked, her voice gradually growing hoarse.

Hosono cackled. It sounded like Ursula's laugh, the sea witch from _Little Mermaid._

"The Fenikkusu Honou clan only produced male heirs! That's been their tradition for the last 300 years!" he exclaimed, doubling back in laughter. "It's absurd that a female would take over as the clan head!"

Momo could feel the sting behind her eyes, threatening to overflow. She felt... wounded. And for a minute there, she did not care if Hosono would really kill her right there and then, as umbrage mixed with disappointed gathered at her chest.

_That makes a perfect explanation to why her father has been extremely focused on her education. For what? For her to take over?_

"Wait a minute...," Hosono paused. "Don't tell me that you were actually telling the truth!

"Huh?" interrupted Hebe who has been quiet for a short time. "She's the heir?!"

"Oh, Hebe. Only if you weren't a drunkard fool..."

Hinamori bit her lower lips to prevent her from crying out loud. This was her first time being humiliated! Humiliated by old men, no less.

"I can't believe this! The great, all-powerful Fenikkusu Honou clan has a female heir!" he chortled sarcastically and was joined by Hebe. "You know what this mean, Hebe?"

"Hey! Hebe, wake up!" Hosono slapped him at the back of the neck, jolting him from drifting to sleep. "This means that they're finally growing weaker! Yes... weaker. If only I could reveal this to their enemy clan, but they'll never believe me."

"Hell, I don't even believe it myself," he added, the scar on face was becoming more prominent.

"So, are we following the original plan?" asked Hebe, scratching his head. The mask falling half way down his face.

"...No," said Hosono, and he turned to face Hinamori. "Here I thought, you were just the little sister."

The gentle breeze blew around her as if mocking her for her predicament.

_If only I could have obeyed and stayed home!_

Hinamori breathed in relief when she saw him sheathing the bolo knife in the inside of his outer kimono. However, her face paled when he drew a bundle or rope on his other hand.

"You see, I have a grudge against your father and I vowed revenge at him for murdering my entire family despite that I was pleading for their innocence," he whispered, viciously.

_My father killing someone...?_

The revelation shocked her so much that her hands began to shake.

"Lies..."

"And you know what I did in able to cope of losing the only people that I loved?" he asked loudly, coming closer to her.

"Lies..." she said again, more firmly this time.

"I indulged myself in alcohol and got a debt from the Tora clan that has the reputation to brutally execute someone who hasn't paid back their money with interest."

"You are lying!" she shouted. "Father would not harm anyone... Father would not harm..."

"If you think I'm lying, then why don't you ask your 'precious' father," he replied. "Ask him about Hosono's family and the outcome of it.. Oh wait, I'm not giving you a chance to go crying towards your father."

How can this happen? How can her harmless, little expedition exploded into her face.

She remembered her father's hand that was full of warmth whenever he stroked her head or the sadness present in his eyes when they talked about her mother. Those were not lies and that assured Momo from charging to Hosono and stabbing him with his own bolo knife.

"What are you going to do?" Momo asked, audaciously eyeing the rope in his hand.

"Well, obviously, I'm not going to kill you but since I'm still indebted to the Tora clan, and my deadline to pay their money is three days from now; I'm thinking of giving you as my payment, and you're worth more than those feeble, gold coins."

"Hebe! Hold her so she won't run away." he snapped.

Hebe obeyed and grabbed Momo's hands as she struggled against his grip.

"Let go of me!" she yelled, kicking her legs in the process.

"Now, now. That's not lady-like." He wrapped the rope on her legs first and then, tied her hands, making her immobile.

"And I have a plan too. I know the Tora clan wouldn't believe me if I brought in a girl but if you're father really cares for you, he would wage a war at the Tora clan for 'kidnapping' you, and that will be my proof," he cackled once more.

"Since the Tora has been bitter about the Fenikkusu Honou siding with the Yoshi-kirizame organization, I know that they wouldn't pass off the chance of overthrowing your father's reign over Osaka," he added.

"You are insane!" Momo shrieked, her braided hair disheveled because of the heat and her kimono dirtied with mud.

"You could thank your father for that," Hosono bellowed.

She could see the sun slowly dipping into the horizon and she knows that night will befall them soon. What will her father say! She doesn't want her father to go to war because of her! Therefore, she did something that even surprised herself.

She gathered air on her lungs and screamed with all her might, "Help! Help me!"

She cried out for help like one of those helpless princesses in the fairy tales that she often read about for enjoyment. She used to ostracized those characters for being so flimsy and frail.

"Shit! Hebe cover her damned mouth!" Hosono ordered while he looked around nervously checking if someone heard her.

"Hmmmph! Hmmmpph!" she muffled against the handkerchief fasten tightly on her face.

Then, with a blink of an eye, Hebe, who was beside her, fell to the ground in a flash.

.

.

.

_What the!_

Leaves whirled around her and the masked savior as he effortless striked down Hebe with the back of his fan. The masked boy turned around, glancing at her, and Momo felt her breath caught in the inside of her throat.

_It was the hokan!_

The hokan on the street that enchanted her with his graceful dancing.

She saw Hosono's eyes widened in bewilderment.

"Y-you! What are you doi-"

Hosono didn't finished his statement as the hokan dashed to where he was, his two fans ready on both of his hands. Hosono grabbed his bolo knife out of his kimono just in time to deflect the hokan's strike as one of his fans flew into the forest. Hosono brought his knife into an arc, aiming for the hokan's chest. The hokan jumped back, dodging his attack by sidestepping into the side. He raised his fan and Hosono took a crushing blow on the neck. Momo heard a distant crack as he stumbled back. The hokan took this advantage and thrust his fan, hard, into his belly.

This pushed Hosono farther but he retaliated, thrusting his blade towards the hokan's arm, and she saw the knife pierced through the fabric but not deep enough to draw blood.

Swing, Swing, Swing.

She watched in awe as the hokan danced smoothly around Hosono, avoiding all of his advancing.

Swing. Advance. Swing again.

She could almost hear the faint whistle of the blade meeting the empty air and the sound of the fan as it made contact with Hosono's skin. Panting and gasping for air, Hosono took another foreswing towards the hokan. Momo could see his scar against his red-face and the purple veins re-surfacing on his temples. The hokan anticipated his attack and with a graceful leap, brought down his fan under the sensitive spot under Hosono's jaw.

Thuk!

Hinamori revolted at the audible crack as Hosono went crashing onto the ground. His bolo knife flying through the air and landing near her legs.

Silence.

She didn't speak nor did he.

She can only hear the rustle of the leaves and the hokan's heavy breathing through his mask. Strangely, Momo didn't feel alarm when he walked towards her, grasping his upper forearm and picking up the bolo knife in the process. He dropped his fan and she observed that the tip was ripped, possibly result from the fight. The hokan bent down and with the bolo knife, cut the rope that binded her legs together. She winced involuntary when the cold blade came contact with her skin and as if noticing her flinched, he looked up meeting Momo's eyes.

He was much smaller in person, barely reaching up to her height. After the rope has been cut, he moved on to her hands. The only thing was left was the handkerchief that was gagging her. Getting close to her face, the hokan untied the knot of her gag from the back of her head. She could make out the precise designs embroidered on his mask in a much clearer perspective. Then, when he drew back, she saw his vivid, teal eyes focused on her behind his guise.

Startled by the odd shade of his eyes, Momo peered in closer to try to determine if her eyes were not playing tricks on her, and closed the remaining gap between them. Alarmed, the hokan jumped back at her close proximity.

"S-sorry," she mumbled, embarrassed at her sudden action.

Without a single word, the hokan was about to walk away towards the forest with Hosono's bolo knife on his hand and his remaining fan on the other when Momo called him out.

"W-wait! I d-do not know the way back," she said, her voice wavering.

With his back on her, he pointed forward "Walk there until you see a road. The road will lead you back to town.

His voice was raspy as if he was still catching his breath, and it has sharp punctuation to it at the same time. It wasn't deep nor smooth that she kinda expected from him. She followed his finger and indeed saw a distant pathway leading up to the road. When she glanced back, all she could see was his back disappearing behind the cover of the ominous trees, dragging the bolo knife onto the ground.

She, realized then, that she had forgotten to say 'thank you.'

.

.

.

_Crap._

Momo arrived at the road and she could see the red gate of her house. She looked down at her clothes and grimanced. Dirt was prominent on her kimono and no matter how much she dusted, she could never get the brownish stain off her blue kimono. She glanced briefly at the sky and took note of the pinkish hue on the horizon.

She hasn't realized that she was gone for too long.

_Please, please let them be distracted._ And by 'them' she meant her watchful servants that reports her wellbeing to her father.

She ran as fast as she could to the tiny hole of her escape hole, crawling, and finally arriving inside of her house. She dusted her kimono for one final time and got out from the Japanese yew. She was mentally prepared herself for the scolding of her lifetime when she saw servants scurrying around, carrying multiple baskets of rice and bamboos in their arms.

"Milady? Is that you?"

She turned around at the sound of Yuki's voice.

"Milady! What happened to you! Your kimono, it's all soiled!" she asked, pure horror pasted on her face.

Momo laughed. "What's going on? Why is everyone look busy?"

"Come, let's get you bathe, and Byakuya-sama told me to pass this message along. He will be tripling your assignment because you missed his Calligraphy lecture today."

Hinamori's face darkened. "I don't think my fingers can take so much damage especially from that uptight man."

Though she pitied him when she found out that his beloved wife died two summer ago.

"Oh, and your father is arriving tonight."

She gritted her teeth at the mention of her father. She flashed back to her conversation with Hosono in the forest.

By the time she was inside the bath house, her thoughts kept drifting back to the masked hokan.

.

* * *

**Japanese History lesson 101:** The Tokugawa period, or better known as the Edo period was between 1603 to 1868 in Japan. (Early 16th to late 18th century) Back then, the Japanese society was ruled why the Tokugawa shogunate and most of the 300 Daimyo or landlords or nobles. The Edo period was also known for it's increased economic growth made by the merchants, strict social hierarchy, isolationist on foreign politics, and growth of the Arts and Culture.

Under the Tokugawa, Japan heavily relied on the teachings of Neo-Confucianism, extremely valuing the importance of morals, education, and most of all, social rank in society. The top of the chains was the emperor followed by Daimyos, Shoguns and the Samurais, next were the middle class of peasants because they generated food, then the artisans, and the merchants were on the bottom. The outcasts class were usually criminals or slaves of brothels. This order wasn't based on wealth but on principle and morals. A member from each different social order cannot associate with each other because it was extremely frowned upon on society. Thus, social conflicts were slowly rising due to the merchant's accumulating wealth and the Samurai's growing debt.

Keys:

shinobi- ninja

Mizu shobai- water trade during the Edo period

Hokan- comedians or people who has the occupation to entertain people.

Kano- painters

Furisode- a very expensive kimono only worn by young woman from a wealthy family.

Obi- a sash placed on the waist to hold the kimono together.

Udon- wheat noodles.

Fenikkusu Honou- Flame Phoenix or Fire Phoenix

Tora- tiger

Yoshikirizame- blue shark

...

**A/N:** Please tell me your thoughts. Reviews are like food. It keeps me motivated to keep going and to see if readers actually like the pace where I am going with this. The ending it a bit awkward, but I was worried that if I keep going, it would be too long for one chapter. Until then! ^^


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